The present invention is directed to a fastener gun washer assembly holding device and method of use.
Fasteners and nonmagnetic washers are used to secure exterior wall systems, such as wall systems utilizing three-coat stucco, one-coat systems, polymer modified (PM) systems over rigid foam, and polymer based (PB) systems (EIFS) over expanded polystyrene (EPS foam), with the washers being used in securing a wide range of building materials, including soft foam, rigid foam, or hard surfaces. Different materials and textures may also be installed as components to exterior wall systems, such as commercial or house building wrap, drainage fabric, felt paper, stucco wire-lath, diamond mesh, or foam insulation panels.
The fastener and washers are affixed using fastener guns, such as electric, pneumatic, or gas driven guns. Conventional prior art fastener guns used with collated fasteners include a safety stem or extension piece extending from the gun that prevent the fastener gun from operating unless the safety stem is pressed against a surface. Compression of the safety stem against a surface triggers indexing of the collated fastener, such as a screw, for the next shot and enables the fastener to be driven into the surface until the driver bit automatically releases the screw at the exact depth. When using a fastener gun employing collated fasteners, the installer must manually hold the nonmagnetic washer centered in position in front of the safety stem, thereby requiring the use of two hands to perform the operation and increasing the risk of injury.
In the case of fastener guns that do not employ collated fasteners, the fastener and washers may be supplied to a building site in either a pre-staked or pre-assembled condition, or must be manually assembled on site by the installers. The difficulty in field assembling the combination of a washer and a fastener, such as a screw, cause them to be either dropped or spilled, such as from scaffolding, onto the ground, creating a hazardous work area. The alternative pre-assembled fasteners are expensive and the numerous range of fastener sizes and washer combinations are difficult to inventory, The washer and fastener assemblies are difficult to handle especially in colder climates when installers wear gloves.